“It’s really hot and sunny outside but, because the smell from that farm is so bad, there isn’t a kid in the streets playing or a single window left open.

“One of my neighbours was physically sick because of the smell and a lot of other people have said it has given them a headache.

“I won’t even hang a washing out, despite the lovely weather. All my clothes have been going into the tumble dryer.

“I just lock myself indoors, with all the windows shut. It’s like being a prisoner in your own home.

“This has been going on for weeks and everyone around here is desperate for something to be done about it.”

Renfrewshire Council said legal action is being taken because the farmer and his contractor breached a notice designed to minimise the nuisance caused to nearby communities from sewage sludge cake being spread on the Drumcross fields.

The local authority served the notice requiring Killochries Fold, which runs Drumcross, and contractor James McCaig Farms to ensure adequate measures were taken to comply with the Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity Code of Good Practice 2005, in respect of preventing odours.

Yesterday, a council spokesman told the Express: “This activity has caused smell nuisance in neighbouring communities and we will take formal enforcement action in respect of the failure by the farmer and his contractor to comply with the terms of the abatement notice.”

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has confirmed “a large number of complaints” have been made about the smell – mainly from Bishopton and Erskine residents but also from people on either side of the River Clyde, right into the centre of Glasgow.

A spokesman said: “The source of this odour is possibly linked to the spreading of sewage sludge at Drumcross Farm.

“This waste has been the source of a large number of complaints during its storage at the same farm over the last three weeks. However, SEPA is investigating other potential sources of
odour.

“SEPA was advised on Monday, by James McCaig Farms, that they intended to start spreading the sludge stored at the farm on Tuesday.

“This involved disturbing the waste, which is likely to result in the generation of odour which may be offensive.”

No-one was available for comment yesterday when the Express visited Drumcross
Farm.

However, council chiefs have revealed they have been advised the farmer does not intend to use the same waste on his land again.

Anyone who has concerns about the smell is asked to call the council’s environmental services team on 0300 300 0330.